Evaluating effectiveness of FRP composites for bridge rehabilitation through load testing

摘要

A seventy-year old reinforced-concrete T-bram bridge carrying State Route 378 over Wynanskill Creek in Prensselaer County, New York, was recrently rehabilitated using Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) comosite laminates. Integrity of the steel reinforcing and overall safety of the bridge was suspected due to severe leakage of water contaminated with de-icing salts. Load tests were counducted before and after installation of the FRP laminates, to evaluate effectiveness of the rehabilitation system in strengthening the bridge structure. This paper briefly discusses these tests and presents some of their results.